News

Jun

6

Classes in session at Okanagan College

The Okanagan College Centre of Excellence is open for learning!

Students began their first classes and shops on June 6, 2011. Designed to be one of the most innovative and sustainable post-secondary facilities in the world, the Centre will train the next generation of tradespeople in cutting-edge, sustainable building practices.

The 7,085-square-metre complex is designed to meet the Living Building Challenge, a performance-based standard that requires regional solutions and responses to local variables such as climate factors and cultural characteristics. The Centre of Excellence takes advantage of many innovative green-building technologies to target net-zero energy and water use. Because the building’s design completely integrates all building systems, the success of the project required a cohesive design team that was coordinated to meet every target and objective.

Not only does the Centre use green-building technologies to accomplish sustainable objectives, but it also provides a living classroom where faculty and students can apply and study green-building technologies in action within the building itself.

The Centre is an active example of an integrated, site-specific approach to sustainable building that aims to reduce energy use, conserve water, and mitigate its impact on the surrounding environment. To learn more about the Centre’s project features, design process and project team, visit www.alivingclassroom.com.